e boy Samuel grew and won the favor both of Jehovah and of men. He
continued to serve Jehovah under the direction of Eli; but in those days
not many messages came from Jehovah.

One day Eli was lying in his room. His eyes had begun to grow dim so
that he could not see. While the lamp of God was still burning, and
Samuel was lying in the temple of Jehovah where the ark of God was,
Jehovah called, "Samuel! Samuel!" He answered, "Here am I." Then he ran
to Eli and said, "Here am I, for you called me." But Eli said, "I did
not call, lie down again." So he went and lay down. Then Jehovah called
again, "Samuel! Samuel!" Samuel rose and went to Eli and said, "Here am
I, for you called me." But Eli answered, "I did not call, my son; lie
down again."

Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah nor had a message from Jehovah been
given to him. So when Jehovah called Samuel again the third time, he
rose and went to Eli and said, "Here am I, for you called me!" Then Eli
knew that Jehovah was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, "Go, lie
down, and if you are called, say, 'Speak, Jehovah, for thy servant is
listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Then Jehovah came and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And
Samuel answered, "Speak, for thy servant is listening." Jehovah said to
Samuel, "See, I am about to do a thing in Israel that will make the ears
of every one who hears it tingle. On that day I will do to Eli all that
I have said that I would do to his family from the first to the last.
For I have told him that I will punish his family forever for the crime
of which he knew his sons were guilty, for they did not do what God
commanded and he did not stop them."

Samuel lay until morning, and then he opened the doors of the temple of
Jehovah. He was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But when Eli called
him and said, "Samuel, my son," he said, "Here am I." Eli asked, "What
is the thing that Jehovah said to you? Keep nothing from me; may God do
to you whatever he will, if you keep from me a word of all that he said
to you." So Samuel told him everything, and kept nothing from him. And
Eli said, "It is Jehovah; let him do what seems good to him."

THE ARK AMONG THE PHILISTINES

In those days the Israelites went out to meet the Philistines, and in a
hard-fought battle the Israelites were defeated by the Philistines.

When the people returned to the camp, the leaders of Israel said, "Why
has Jehovah let us be b